Rome Itinerary

Ostia Antica can easitly be done in 1/2 a day. My most important piece of advice: the way the RS book brings you in is from the train and you are actually coming in a back entrance. Enter and walk all the way to the front entrance and then make you way back. When we went, we started in the back and were worn out before we got to all the front where some of the best stuff is. Also, there is a visitors center at the front that is worth a quick stop. I have given this advice ever since 2008 and had several people send me a note saying thanks. The rest of your trip looks great. The "tourist part" of Rome is small and very walkable, but we always buy a multi day transit pass so that we can use the metro without it adding up. It really helps save your energy for the fun "walking tours".

Leslie: You might find it helpful to do an Ancient Rome tour your first afternoon. It takes about 3-4 hours to see the Colosseum, Palatino and Forum. I think this is also an excellent sitatuion in which to hire a guide. We had a private guide for almost 4 hours and it made the area come alive! I didn't have to have my nose in a book reading to us, and the Ancient Rome tour really helped us better understand everything else we saw in Rome. Take the Ancient Rome tour after a shower to refresh and lunch to restore. It will help you to be out and about and you will be engaged by a tour of this amazing area! You could take a tour from 1500-1830 then go to Rome in the Sky atop the Vittorio (it's open until 1930 in summer), then on to an early dinner and a stroll if you still want more. (I'm guessing you'll be ready for bed by 2100!) If you have a private guide, you set the time and the pace, so well worth the 50 euros per hour. Then you could go to Ostia Sunday afternoon, and so on with your plan. Remember St. Peter's Basilica closes at 1900 in the summer. You will probably want a Vatican Museum ticket in advance, yes. As long as you are sure of the day you wish to go.

I would wait to do the Vatican until the very last. If you are flying into Rome, you will have major jetlag and would not want to walk the Vatican completely drained.

Thanks, all! Connie-thanks for the advice. That makes a lot of sense from what I've seen of Ostia Antica. And yes, we're definitely planning on getting the Roma Pass so we can hop around a little easier! Laurel-I was thinking about that order too. My only concern is that will be our actual first day in Italy and I don't know how my group will respond to jet lag...2 of them have never been overseas, so they don't know either! :) I'm fine the first day there, but I'm miserable once I get home. Anyway, I'd feel so bad if they were way jetlagged and don't even remember what they saw the first day and it was the biggies! Thanks, I think I will book the Vatican Museum tickets just to be safe as Monday is the only day we'd have for it. Brendon-Thanks. That was my thought as well. I've heard it's plenty overwhelming without adding jet lag to the mix! Has anyone seen the main ancient sights on their first day? Was it overwhelming or ok?
Other thoughts?

I'm pretty wound up when I arrive in Europe. A shower and food and I am good to go for a few hours. I think a guided tour would really help keep everyone engaged because a) you are committed, and b) the guide is entertaining. FYI, I used Tylenol PM for the very first time last October on the way over. Got a solid 3 hours of sleep which was amazing for me on a plane! Stayed awake until 2100 with no problem, walking all over Venice.

Laurel, I'm the same way-wound up once I'm finally there! I'll look into guides...anyone have recommendations? I'll definitely try some Tylonol PM next time...I'm not the best sleeper on planes...I'll recommend it for the rest of my group as well. :) Nope, no teens...we're late 20s and young 60s: myself, husband, sister- and father-in law (the in-laws haven't been overseas before, so they're nervous about the jet lag issue). I did think of another possible solution...the Roma Pass/Combo ticket gets you into the 3 sights for 2 days, right? (I know only 1 entrance to each sight) But that could mean we could see some on Sunday morning and some on Monday morning...
Thanks, all!

Close. Roma Pass is good for 3 days - first 2 sites free, good for public transport and discounts on museums after the first 2. But the 3 days is actually midnight of the third day that you're using it. So if you activate the pass on Tuesday evening, it's good only until midnight Thursday night. That throws a lot of people who think it's good for 72 hrs. It's not. Have a great time.

I can second the Tylenol PM recommendation! We just arrived home from Rome on Saturday - I took one tylenol pm (the suggested dosage is two) and slept 7 hours of the 8 hour flight - even though I was surrounded by a group of 50 middle schoolers who were awake and talking most of the flight! You don't mention if there are young people with you - we took our three teens with us. Arrived in Rome at noon - got to our lodging around 3. Got settled and then went to Time Elevator Roma on Via Apostoli (turn right off Via del Corso, Time Elevator is on the right) for a brief movie about Roman History. When we exited the theater, we turned right and then right again and had a fabulous dinner at Ristorante 12 Apostoli, Piazza dei Santi Apostoli, 5200187 Rome, Italy. One of the best dinners we had all week! Our teens loved the movie and it gave them a good intro to Rome.

Michael, Sorry I didn't explain my question better...I know the Roma Pass 'covers' your first 2 sights. But the Colosseum 'combo-ticket' covers the Forum and Palatine Hill as well. So, since the combo-ticket is valid for 2 days to see those sights, I was wondering if the Roma Pass counts the combo-ticket as one sight (I think I read that it does), and if so, can you use it like you would a combo-ticket, over 2 days? Whew!
Transportation-wise, we're good. We'll validate it on Saturday morning, use it Sat, Sun, Mon. We'll just buy a Metro ticket to get to Termini to get ourselves on our way to the CT on Tues.

Leslie:
You are right about two-days of entrance to the Forum/Colosseum/Palatino. One fee, two days of fun. We used Francesca Caruso for our private tour. She has been featured on Rick's radio show and in his Rome book. FrancescainRoma@gmail.com, 50 euros per hour last year. Well worth every cent! She will customize for you, and spread over 4 people, it is not only more effective as a tour to use a private guide, it is no more expensive than a good group tour.

Thanks for all your help, Laurel. I emailed Francesca this morning, I'm hoping she's still available! If not, I'll go to a 'Plan B'.
Thanks again all!